The Hidden Sword

THE HIDDEN SWORD: Xu Haofeng’s Long-Awaited Martial Arts Epic Stands The Test Of Time With An Official Trailer

It’s been the longest, most agonizing experience waiting for Xu Haofeng’s The Hidden Sword to finally see a release. The Final Master was a pure genre blast and I managed to acquaint myself with most of his work from years prior, and Xu also managed to direct a second film to our knowledge called The Weary Poet. I suspect 2019/2020 will be when we see a lot more Xu as a result, and news of a July 19 release for The Hidden Sword is a humbly welcome conversation piece going forward. The official trailer is finally online as of last week and looks just as explosive and promising as the intial teaser from a few years ago, and I sincerely hope a certain Plano, Texas film distribution firm is aware of this movie by now. In 1933, Chinese soldiers led by heroic officer Shen Feixue defeat a Japanese attack on […]

FIVE-A-DAY ROUND UP V: 2.0, The Hidden Sword, Soldado, Detective Dee 3, Ant-Man And The Wasp

Lee B. Golden III

2010 saw the critical and commercial success of S. Shankar’s multi-award winning blockbuster sci-fi thriller, Robot, now readying an Amazon release next year. That milestone achievement continues next year with 2.0 from Shankar returning to the helm for actor Rajinikanth reprising the role of embattled A.I. robot, Chitti, and his creator Dr. Vaseegaran. Robot is currently available on Netflix for anyone who wants to catch up. For now, here’s a behind the scenes look on the sequel: With director Stefano Sollima taking on the daunting task of following up Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario, Soldado aims to open up even more on the world the first film immerses you in. Josh Brolin returns along with Benecio Del Toro in the respective roles of DoJ task force handler Matt Graver and underworld hitman Alejandro staving off terrorists crossing the border while squaring away with old foes. Colombia Pictures is setting a June 29 […]

THE HIDDEN SWORD: Swords And Secrets Clash In The Stylish Trailer For Xu Haofeng’s New Martial Arts Epic

Lee B. Golden III

Filmmaker and novelist, The Final Master helmer Xu Haofeng’s body of work is a catalog of fantastic and comprehensive martial arts cinema. His latest, The Hidden Sword aims to add to the succession with the consistency of the acclaimed helmer’s own added touch having worn multiple hats on set for his own previous work. Legendary kung fu cinema star, actor Chen Kuan Tai (Iron Monkey, Dragon Tiger Gate), reunites with our director for another offering inspired by his own literary work, setting in 1930’s China where an elderly sword maker’s skillset continues to attract the embattled, war-ridden outside world that once forced him and his family into hiding. A date is still pending for the film following Screendaily’s report in May of its acquisition by Distribution Workshop. Chen is joined by Huang Jue and Geng Le, actressses Summer Xu Qing and Chen Xia, and in reunion with fellow Xu cohort, The […]